24th Hunger Games
by Lion Clan
Summary: This is the story of how Zoe Ann's time in the Hunger Games went.This is the ordeal of Zoe Ann. does the Arena claim Zoe Ann, Come in and find out R&R.
1. The Reaping

A/N This is my very first Fan fic so please review i need to know what to work on. Also a million thanks to my beta reader Moonlit Ebony.

((rewritten))

Ch 1 Reaping

My birthday is tomorrow, always falling on the same day, and always left in the shadow of the reaping. No one has a celebratory bone left in their bodies after the tributes are chosen, their hearts too heavy with grief and fear.

I lay in the silence until I hear my brothers stir, the morning reminding me of my insomnia. Just then a thought occurs to me, but I quickly try to shake it away. It is a disturbing thought; one based on the fear left only for the reaping. I could run away. Right now, before anyone could change my mind. The thought bothers me the more I think about it, no matter how many times I attempt to forget the notion. With every passing second I realize that I want it, that I wish to run. That if I did I wouldn't look back.

The temptation of running was too strong to test, and I knew unless I stayed inside the house I would give in. I deliberately reached for my clothes, distracting myself with preparing for the reaping ceremony and barely pull on my pants before Ty's older brother, Russell, burst in, letting the door swing into the wall.

"It's bad. They caught Ty trying to get past the fences."

"Damn. . . Okay, let me get dressed."

Dressing quickly, I hurry out the door, already knowing there was no way I could keep up with Russell when he began to run as fast as he could. Minutes later we could see the center of town, and sure enough, Ty had been attached to the whipping post. I can't see Russell anywhere. Trying to speed up, I hear the crack of the whip, making me run even faster. when I see the center of town empty. Ty wasn't attached to the the whipping post so I know something is wrong.

Stopping to catch my breath, I can feel someone behind me, so as the person creeps closer I spin on the heel of my boot and slap the person behind me hard. It isn't until I notice who it is that the anger really sets in.

"Russell! What in the world? Where is Ty?"

Hearing another voice, I turn around to see my mother and three brothers along with Ty standing, their mouths open.

"Happy birthday, Zoe! "Ty says in a tiny voice.

He looks at Russell and smirks. Russell, who finally recovered, is back on his feet, looking very upset about being hit.

"What the hell was that for, Zoe? Damn, that really hurt," he says, rubbing his left cheek.

"All this just to throw a birthday party? What the hell are all you thinking? You should be worried about the reaping, not me."

"Dam it, Zoe, let us celebrate your birthday once. Please, it's all we ask. Just be a normal person and let us celebrate something that is important."

My face red with anger I just take off back to the house. I don't want any part in this little celebration. They just don't understand today of all days is the one I despise most of all. Most people of any district have one day-just one day-to themselves, but not me. I don't get that day because of the reaping.

After an hour or so of sulking around the house, Russell finally finds me. He starts right up to me, he trys to say something but with the look on my face I guess he just didn't want to argue, so after a couple of seconds he smiles, turns and leaves.  
With only a couple of hours before the reaping started I begin to ready myself. My mother chose a simple but elegant gown. I almost make it out of the door when mother stops me. "Zoe, take this."

My eyes tear up immediately and I say, "Mom, I can't take this. I don't want to take this." Handing me the medallion-just priceless. I hurry out of the door, not daring to look back. The worst part of the reaping is the long wait that we must endure before we find out if we will be fighting to death in front of the entire nation. I don't really have any friends except Russell, but he was nowhere near me, which means I now must be silent the whole time for the reaping.

Our Escort finally makes her way to the stage after a horrible wait. "Now my lovelies, the time you have all been waiting for. Time to see who will be this year's District Five tributes. First up I think a little twist is in order, let's pick from our young men first."  
No one even cares who would be picked from first, the girls or the boys, we will all die the same. Already I couldn't remember out Escort's name, although if I saw her again it would be easy to recognize her. First of all, her skin is a deep shade of grey, her teeth are silver, and her hair, oh my her hair is so, so... blue. I have no idea why she is completely grayish but her hair is blue, it makes absolutely no sense what so ever.

"All right my beauties, let us see who will be this year's male tribute. Our first tribute is Ferrin Jers." Looking around, no one could seem to find Ferrin until the shots rang out. "Oh my, this can't be our tribute i...is dead before the Games. Well we can't have that- I will draw again my beauties. Our new tribute is Ty Mill. Many of the girls next to me start to cry, no I am just shocked. Even as Ty makes it to the stage, fear sets in that Russell will not volunteer for him. Instantly I spot Russell in the crowd. He shocks me even further when he shrinks down and doesn't speak a word.

"Well now that nothing has gone wrong we can continue on with our lovely women. Let me make sure it's a good one. This year our tribute is miss Zoe Ann. "Even as my name is called out, I can't believe it. I should be happy, I wanted this. Walking silently, it seems to take forever to make it to the stage. I feel the urge to faint but I manage to stay conscious. After a couple of words and the anthem, the peacekeepers rush us into separate rooms in the justice building for our farewells.

Mother is the first to come through the doors, tears streaming down her face. Second, my brothers all at once, faces all red and teary. Not a word is spoken for the longest time. Finally my youngest brother breaks the silence. "I hate you Zoe. You're going to die and you don't even care," bursting out in tears, he runs out of the door, followed by the other two. Looking to Mother I just couldn't help but smile. "I'll come back, Mother, and we will live in one of the victor's houses and we w. . . " "Shut up. Just shut up. Your brother is right. You're going to die out there and you know it.". Just as she is leaving, Mother throws thing at my feet, then the door slams.

A gold glint catches my eye and looking down I see a gold medallion sitting at my feet. A peacekeeper barges in. "Time to leave now. Let's go."

I couldn't see anything as fast as the peacekeepers kept me and Ty moving- I didn't want to see anything to begin with. The words my mother said stung. I could not believe that I thought I would die in the Hunger Games. Me and Ty say nothing as we are loaded up onto the train.  



	2. Tributes

A/N: thanks to my wonderful beat reader moonlit Ebony for without him this wouldn't be any where as good.

The trains were something I had never anticipated, hearing that they existed, but never knowing what they were like. There were so many wonderful, confusing contraptions and luxuries that it sent my head spinning. There were air conditioners all around me, the carpet squishing beneath my feet as I run my fingers over the soft curtains, but these were nothing compared to the books.

"Where is our mentor?" I ask our Escort.

"Oh, were you not informed?" "Your mentor isn't allowed back in the Capitol."He wa . . ."

"No mentor?" I exclaim incredulously. "We won't last five seconds out there! The other Tributes will destroy us!"

With a quizzical look, Ty appears behind our Escort.

"Ty, we have no Mentor. We are going to be by ourselves throughout the Games."

To my surprise, Ty seemes unresponsive to the fact. He simply shrugs it off and continues to walk through the train car to his room. I seemed to be the only one worried about the fact that our mentor wasn't going to be there. About to cry, I stop myself. I refused to let this woman see me cry already, just a few moments into our deadly trip. Before my dam of tears broke I ran down the hallway, hoping to make it to my own room before the tears burst to the surface. As I rush through the door, a marvelous spectacle presents itself to me. Books, maybe hundreds of books. They lined the walls with them. As soon as the door swishs closed I let my tears burglarize their way into the outside world. It has been some time since I last cried; the thought of crying made my hate suppurate. Although I did not posses the strength to hold them back anymore, I proceed with the aim of letting myself cry until nothing else would come but moans of pain.  
It wasn't until I had quieted down that dinner started. Hillary, as Ty had just informed me, planned dinner around the replay of reaping day. First as always was District One.

Our beautiful boy tribute for this year's Hunger Games will be Jeremy Helms.

Before another word could be uttered the biggest boy I've ever seen steps forward out of the crowd.

(")I VOLUNTEER, he bellowes."

("Well what is your name, young man?" Without a moments hesitation the name Jars Etna follows, but with less keenness. "Ok, Jars, come up here and help me pick this year's District 1 girl."

Turning the massive sphere, Jars reaches in to retrieve one name, a name that could change an entire family or destroy 23 others. Reading the slip to himself, Jars then almost thrust the slip back into the sphere before the District 1 escort snatches the slip and yells out the name.

"Amble Horst is this year's Tribute."

A cry voices the name the slip provided and a commotion leads to a 12 year old girl approaching the platform; staunchly this 12 year old girl ascends the stairs with a smug smile, a smile that could light up an entire community, and enough confidence to supply an army, she speak) with a malevolent tone.

"I volunteer."

no the words spoken to the escort on stage make her ostensibly wince and she almost immediately looks to the crowd for another volunteer, but no single soul prepares a challenge to her volunteering. Chills surreptitiously invade my entire body, looking at Hillary, our escort, as the smile plastered upon her face whithers and dies, it becomes apparent that I alone know that this year's Games will be the worst to come.

"Well, sweetie, what's y . . . your . . . your name, sweetie?"

" the one and only Melanie Serding."

-DISTRICT 2-

Taking a deep breath I ready myself for a horrible experience, now that I wasn't so certain that I would make it back home. The foulest part yet was that only the first district reaping had ended now and I would see the other 20 tributes that desired to take my life. This is unbearable. The rest of my time is limited and I just now understand it. The District 2 escort had finally made his way to the podium.

?"All right, let's find our pair of tributes for this year Games."

The green teeth he smile with keep me distracted from almost anything he says. With a nonchalant attitude, he starts to turn the sphere which held the name of one girl or boy that possibly would take my life. During the course of his time turning the sphere I steal another look at Ty and the more I look at him, the more I saw his brother, Russell. I had never told anyone, not even Russell,

"Ok, let's get on with the girl tributes. For this year our female tribute will be . . . Emma Tafton."

After a minute, a slender girl steps forward from the mass. Emma looks to be about fifteen. She seems to be happy-happy, that is, because she doesn't have a care in the world. After a second or two more I begin to pick out details that startle me. Emma was about 5,6" flowing blonde hair that seemed to shimmer with every movement. Also her face has the look of a hawk, not the kind that are trained as pets but one that if given the chance would rip out your eyes and devour anything edible. She stood behind the District 2 escort.

"Ok, now let's pick the male tribute for this year. excuse me, darling would you help me pick the name? I will turn the ball and I want you to pick a name from it, ok?"

Silently she strides to the giant sphere full of slips. After a second of turning she opens the latch, letting an ocean of names spill out then gingerly she steps up into the ocean of slips and withdraws the only name inside. Plucking the name from Emma, the Escort reads the name to the viewers.

"The male tribute for District Two will be our very own, Maxis Merriam."

A fight broke out within the mass of males whose names had not been called. Several times the words I volunteer are uttered. It isn't until a stocky boy made it to the stage that you can see the one who will claim the honor. Quietly he ascends the stairs. Sporting a black eye and busted lip he smiles and makes his way to Emma. His stare gives the look of hunger, the type of hunger that could only be sated by blood.

End of Ch-2

A/N: tell me how much you liked it or what you feel is missing. 


	3. Chapter 3

Tributes and trains

District three really caught my attention there escort, Auk Molls as he introduced himself, is a sight I've never seen. His sheer size disturbed me, he seemed to ever extend into the sky with the clothing he wore you could easily tell them apart. He wore a large pitch black shirt with little green markers blinking every second or so, oh my, his pants, they where the longest pair in the entire human being history they just seemed to extend for miles. None of these little characteristics could compare to his voice, the voice that belonged to this giant of a man belonged to some 5 year old girl.

"All right now my favorite district lets get down to business."

Auk said with a squeak as the mayor finished the well crafted speech about the history of the capital or something along the lines of that. Smiling he turns to draw from an assortment of name slips

"Ok let's start with our beautiful girls."

Recognition swept throughout the side containing all the 12-18 year old girls roped off into groups based on age. This might be there last year alive, this might be the last time to see there family, the last time to see any of there crushes or boyfriends, or best friends. The camera sweeps back to Auk as he draws from the mass of names that only belonged to the girl's selection. With the sheer numbers of slips I began to realize how much bigger some of the other districts are compared to district 5.

"This year our district three girl will be Grace Idée!"

After a moment a small red headed girl steps from the crowd, walking with her head up straight and tears gushing from her eyes, she stops at the base of the stairs. Before taking another step she inhales possibly her last free, well as free as possible, breath. Then wiping the tears from her eyes continues up the stairs and stops behind the escort whom dwarfs her in size. The camera scans the crowd getting the desired product from calling the little girls name many of the parents are crying ether from relief or just from knowing the seemingly bright girl about to be sent to her death. Finally the camera stops on one woman who weeps loudly clutching three more children as though the capital would take them from her any second lets out another moan before burying her face into the children's faces, sweeping back for another look at grace I see the resemblance between her and the woman it must have been her mother. With the camera still trained on grace I start to size her up, she doesn't look like she could make it very far in fact I think she would be the easiest to kill at this moment, just as the thought hits me shame follows. Trying to shake the thought Auk's voice startles me.

"Well we need to get the ball rolling again time to draw our b…"

"I volunteer!"

Echoes across the town square. Finding the person behind the voice the camera zooms in the catch more detail from the mystery person. His face is sprinkled with freckles thinning out as the reach the edges of his face, glasses rest on the bridge of his nose they accomplish giving him the distinguished look. His night sky black curls bounce as he walks angrily to the stairs, several girls just realizing what happened start to wail. Without looking back the tribute reaches the stairs as Auk's voice rebounds from the news that there is a volunteer.

"What would be your name my boy?''

Not as steady as before he relays the information.

"M… my name… my name is Brinnen Canady."

With some effort he makes it up the stairs and stops next to Grace. Closing my eyes I sigh I can't take all of this, putting my hands over my ears and start to doze off. After what seems like ages I remove my hands and look up just in time to hear a new voice.

Melanie Pepin is our female tribute for our lovely district four. Taking another look at her I see not some small girl or teen but a beautiful woman with bronze skin with the deepest brown hair that seems to float around her like a net catching anything that dares look. This woman projects ferocity, she is taller than most girls I've seen maybe she is 5'10" or 5'11", she has a muscular build to her as most people in district four do and she moves quick and fluid she will be a contender. The mayor step up to the podium and makes another speech, then the seal lights up the screen.

'I've had enough I can't look at all of these faces and kill them later in the games, without saying a word I get up and leave when I hear my name called I don't bother to look back to the caller, slamming my door I hit my bed and with in a few moments drift into my nightmare filled dreams where little girls turn into demons that the capital have altered to root out my deepest secrets and fears and use them against me. A light knock wakes me from a bed I don't recognize tangled in sheets with books and scarred pages strewn across the floor. Finally I rise and look through the draws until I find a simple set of garments taking them with me I quickly change after a short shower, looking around the litter full room I spot the trinket, my mother left for me after the reaping. With all the care I can muster I pick it up and slip it around my neck. As I leave my room I spot Ty sitting down with an empty plate in front of him looking up from the plate I notice his eyes are still wet, puffy, and red from a night full of crying, disgust hits hard; how can I have such a horrible partner like this and expect to survive in the arena. Taking a deep breath I walk out of the door way and toward the table just as I sit the train comes to a stop. The beginning of my plan starts to form, I **must make it back home and if that means killing Ty I will come back home, looking once again at him I see fresh tears spilling , even if it means I have to kill him first I'll make it back home. Plastering a smile on my face I wait for our door to open and take my last innocent steps before touching capitol soil and become forever tainted. With a bright light the door opens and cameras fill my vision. At last I make the last step as a innocent girl from district five and my first step as a killer, because I plan on doing everything in my power to come back home even if it means joining the careers ..**

**End of chapter 3 **


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